Excerpts
“The death of our husband or wife is like the death of a part of our self. Grief is the outpouring of emotion and pain that expresses how we feel because of what has happened in our life.”
“Grief is shock at the suddenness with which life’s plans have been changed.
Grief is anger at the untimely death of a loved one.
Grief is sadness.
Grief is the pain of starting to speak to someone who is no longer there.
Grief is loneliness.
Grief is wishing that things were as they used to be and knowing that they never will be again.
Grief is contemplation as we meditate on the finality of our own earthly life.”
“The love that we have known with our husband or wife here on earth will never die. It is eternal. Death has not taken it away; it has only separated us, in body but not in heart. The essence of love is the grace of God in our life. Love can outlast anything.”
“On the last occasion that my beloved husband was in the pulpit, he offered this pastoral prayer, a benediction to our grief journey: ‘We have come this far by faith, and we will continue to walk with our hand in yours wherever you lead us.”
“Death has not left us ambivalent in our resolve to claim new life at the end of our journey through grief. ‘And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen and establish you’ (1 Peter 5:10–11). Thanks be to God for the victory over death.”
